LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 331, 26 May 1897, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Counsel addressed the Native Land Court to-day in the Ohiti case. Applications are invited for valuers under the "Government Valuation of Land Act, 1896." Nominations for the flood relief sport s close this evening. Mrs Kessell's sale of furniture and effects has been postponed indefinitely. Mr D. Plimer announces that Tattersalls stables will be closed from to-day. Mr A. P. Stuart, formerly a well-known merchant in Wellington, died of syncope yesterday. Captain Russell is to attend the banquet to be tendered to Mr G. Hunter, M.H.R., at Waipawa to-morrow evening. Offices for Mr George Ebbett, solicitor, are being erected on the vacant section between Mr Tickner's office and Dale's restaurant. Another stone crossing is being laid down in Heretaunga road. The Borough Council has evidently decided not to make a wood paving experiment. Anonymous correspondence is flying around Hastings at present. If the police manage to make an example of the culprit it would be no more than he richly deserves. Mr G. H. Morrish, of the Telegraph Department, who has been premoted from Greymouth to Napier, was entertained at the former town on Friday last, and was the recipient of a richly bound volume of Longfellow's poems. A West Coaster has patented an invention for a lieelless sock, which admits of being turned fn a different position every time it is worn. It is said to be so simple that the only wonder is that it was never thought of before. It has the appearance of a long bag, put when on the foot leaves not the slightest semblance of a wrinkle or fold anywhere. French bachelors are beginning to protest against the proposed tax on celibacy. Meetings have already taken place at Valance and other towns. Spinsters who have, according to French parlance, Colffee Sainte Catherine, or in other words who are over 25, have joined the movement. In one case a marriage almost immediately followed a meeting of the mixed community. A consignment of new books for the Athenasum came to hand yesterday. They were ordered through a Napier firm. If the local booksellers were unable to import the consignment perhaps no complaint could be laid against the committee ; but as we are given to understand that the committee would have been put to no more expense had they made their purchases in Hastings, the injustice of the proceeding is apparent. The whole of the revenue of the institution is derived locally and it is certainly unfair that the local booksellers are overlooked. Letters received in "Wellington from the Premier state that when he was at Samoa he had an interview with King Malietoa, who appeared to be anything but happy. The natives gave the New Zealanders a hearty welcome, and Mrs Seddon and her two daughters were decorated by the woman of the island. Subsequently Mr Seddon and his party, and Bishop Wallis and Mrs Wallis, visited various places of interest on the island. The passengers from "Wellington felt the heat in the tropics very ranch, but arrived in San .Francisco in good health. The N.Z. Times states that, owing to some unpleasantness which occurred at Napier between the Theatre Royal proprietary and Mr Tom Pollard, " the Firm" has decided not to book Napier any more, nor will it permit any of its operas to be staged there by either professionals or amateurs. As if in confirmation of the above statement, the announcement is made that Williamson and Musgrove's next company—a special one, including Messrs Lauri and Coleman, Alice Learner and other celebrated artistes—instead of playing Napier will go up the other coast to Taranaki. Eccles' Corn Paixt quickly removes either hard or soft corns. Only a few applications necessary. In bottles Is 6d, fyom A. Eccles, chemist, Napier and Hastings.—Adyt.